Oper

Rossini's comic opera, which had its world premiere in 1816, was a work for which he ought to have won several prizes. A prize for speed: "... I wrote the first act in eight days, and the second in another twelve". One for courage: He was daring enough to compete with the great maestro Païsiello, whose "Barbiere di Siviglia" was a favourite with the public. This was probably the reason Rossini gave his work the new title "L'inutile precauzione". "The precaution" was, indeed, "futile" over thel ong term, because this fireworks of a piece full of spirited and witty musical numbers was soon to become the very definition of Italian opera buffa.